Letters to the Editor for Sept. 26, 2012

Wednesday

Sep 26, 2012 at 12:01 AM

Readers comment on city spending, citizen comment at city meetings, solar energy and more.

City can't spend its way out of troubleWhen the whole nation is in a recession, the city thinks it can spend its way out of trouble.Times are hard and the city and county should lead by example when it comes to fiscal responsibility.More money for a fleet garage; this thing has been going on for years. Then they couldn't build it at the 39th Avenue site after spending and wasting $250,000 in planning. Two-laning Main Street is another waste of money. Now that road is not covered by DOT and all repairs will cost the city.Go to the city and county meetings and question these decisions made by our elected officials.The people who suffer the most are the working class of this town. City and county employees have to beg for pay increases year after year.We put them in office and we can remove them. Vote!Dino Edwards,Gainesville

Lowe refuses to disavow censorshipAt the Sept. 20 City Commission meeting Mayor Craig Lowe refused to deny support for pulling the plug on citizen comment.Lowe, in August, had researched the legality of prohibiting citizen comments from being carried on cable or streaming video. In early September, in The Gainesville Sun, he suggested that changes in citizen comment may be forthcoming.Now he has refused to say he does not support blackout of an important record of community opinion and information about Lowe's policies and actions.Citizens are entitled to conclude that Lowe, up for re-election in March, intends before the city election season is under way to deprive voters of important information to help them intelligently make their electoral choice. Shame on Mayor Lowe.Ernesto Martinez,Gainesville

Solar not a viable economic alternativeThe Sun's Sept. 20 editorial, "In the dark on solar," refers to the Sept. 17 article stating UF will save $15,000 per year (from UF's $47 million energy budget) with solar panels donated by Progress Energy.The editorial fails to mention these panels cost $650,000. It would take 43 years to pay back the initial investment.One could agree that solar panels were worth the very high investment cost if they reduced greenhouse gases. But even if every roof in Gainesville were covered with panels, they would produce no energy at night or when it's cloudy. Solar panels, and other intermittent sources, must be backed up by base-load generators, like Deerhaven's coal-fired plant, that produce greenhouse gases at a steady rate day and night.Solar panels will never make more than a negligible reduction in greenhouse gases, so they cannot be justified as a green source or a reasonable investment.Doran Oster,Gainesville

Just say no to the war on the courtsThe New York Times recently featured an editorial, "Politics, principle, and an attack on the courts" highlighting the successful and ongoing attempts to unseat judges who voted, in an unanimous ruling, to overturn Iowa's prohibition of same sex marriage.In Florida, Gov. Rick Scott has been fighting Florida's Supreme Court since taking office, and appears determined to follow the attack road and unseat judges who disagree with him.Unfortunately, so too does the Florida Republican legislative majority.This attack by two branches of our government is extremely dangerous. If partisan politics dominates the judicial system we, the people, are lost with no recourse to the impartial fairness of the law.Amendment No. 5 on the Florida ballot attempts to ascribe greater powers, to the legislative branch, over the judicial branch. The League of Women Voters urges a "No" vote on Amendment 5. So do I.Marjorie Abrams,Gainesville

If I am electedIf I am elected president here is what I will do:1. All government workers will receive a 15 percent wage decrease.2. All military will receive a 15 percent raise.3. Aid will stop for one year to all other countries.4. All that money will be used exclusively to help feed our hungry and take care of our vets.5. All government workers will have to save for their own retirement and pay for their own health care.6. Put a cap on spending for any "race to office."7. Everyone earning over $25,000 a year will pay a flat 10 percent income tax,8. Term limit of two terms for any office and play by the same rules as everyone else (no pension etc).9. Any country deemed to aid in terrorism will never qualify for aid again.I approve this message.David Gardner,High Springs

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